Are high house prices good or bad for innovation? It seems the RBA are saying house asset inflation is good for Australia, perhaps mainly based around housing stock shortages. Our Executive Director, Christopher Hire, takes a look at property prices impact on innovation, and how they may prevent tomorrow’s employers – today’s start-ups – emerging.

The nature of innovation is shifting, but our society is stuck in old paradigms of innovation. Our Executive Director, Christopher Hire, examines what a Creative Age of innovation may mean and the opportunity it gives all of us, …

One of the active Victoria Bushfire tweeters tell the story in his own words.

Innovations from CeBIT, a wrap-up of analysis from CeBIT & some future Innovation Themes!

Conroy opened CeBIT AusInnovate, with National Broadband Network for Australia. Then the detail – CSIRO & DSTO – the need not to kill innovation… highlights from CeBIT in Sydney.

Trends & Predictions. Innovation Cities benchmark. Sharing & publishing ideas. All will be bigger & better in 2009, as we roll-out the final version of 2thinknow, after extensive testing in 2008.

Use Social media to track the Mumbai attacks in real time with real people & real coverage, as well as commentary, including maps.

Victoria, Australia makes the decision to support local innovation.

Hotel design from a modern art hotel in Austria.

COMMENT. Global. – Trains, and rail is a resurgent transport platform.
For some great examples of trains, check out this slide-show on slideshare.
Safe, Cleaner, Practical.
Despite increasingly shrill voices on the right-wing think-tanks, calling for less public transport, rail has clear benefits, visible to all.
Most countries around the world can see the benefits. China, Japan, France, Austria, all are investing in rail. Why do you love trains?
Here at 2thinknow, next are 7 reasons why global trends support a rail renaissance.

COMMENT. Melbourne — A colleague of mine, of mature age, a professional director, told me he does not understand one thing about Melbourne’s directors.
How so many directors keep getting roles with less than stellar performance.
As a competent, good Director, he is mystified.
Shhh…
Of course no-one in the community says this publicly. I am a member of peak body AICD, and never heard it there! Truth begone! Top-down folk there.
With some Directors, often I get the feeling they want to investigate, interrogate you, and pick your brains. That’s if they can’t …

COMMENT, NSW — Today the NSW government release the mini-budget. ABC have it here.
A patch/hatchet job to make up for years of fundamental neglect.
The 3 Amigos: Carr, Iemma, Costa.
Neglect under Bob Carr (especially), Morris Iemma & on to Nathan Rees.OK, Nathan hasn’t had a chance yet.
A special word goes to the spectacularly self-aggrandising Michael Costa. Costa managed to leave fingerprints 3 inches deep on several disastrous portfolios.
Infrastructure.
In an economic & property boom, no funding was spent on:
1) Transport
2) Schools
3) Infrastructure
4) Urban Planning
5) Roads
6) Energy infrastructure.
Wasted opportunity.
Property Developers.
Instead, the whole process …

COMMENT, USA –Few people understand how the economic paradigm has shifted.
2thinknow do.
We predicted it would shift, and that their would be an economic crisis. Correctly. Back in October 2007, before others.
If you would like to see what it all means, including Obama’s election, see these slides on slideshare.
Opportunity for Local Innovation.
There are a lot of economic opportunities out there, but bright minds need opportunity.
Creativity needs its voice. Anyway, look at the slides.
I hope they help you in your quest to profit in the Bear Market.
Thanks to SlideShare for spreading this …

COMMENT, Melbourne — The Rudd Government today announced $6 billion in life support for the local Australian car manufacturing industry.
Manufacturing skills, infrastructure & cars are important.
Rudd’s $6 Billion on the Amex.
The Rudd plan is broadly positive, however it has a large cost. $6 billion to be precise.
One of the problems with Government intervention in the economy is that Governments see costs, and not opportunities. Costs not revenue increase.
It’s unimaginative.
But when I’ve worked for Government that’s what I normally find. Lack of imagination.
Most farsighted ideas will be killed. Or implemented in …

COMMENT, New Zealand –A Gen-Xer, John Key, self-made man, has got the top job as leader of New Zealand. Read more from Tony Wright in The Age.
Trends in Generational Renewal.
It started in Australia. With an almost Gen-X Kevin Rudd, and a decidedly Gen-X Julia Gillard, as deputy.
One year later, it was Obama, in the USA, another Gen-Xer. And significantly self-made. Not another white man, son-of-privilege type.
Now came New Zealand, with self-made money-man, John Key. Like Obama, 47.
Politics still continues to alternate between left-and-right. With New Zealand Left making America’s Obama …

COMMENT, Melbourne — It seems politicians at the State Level in Australia are determined to destroy local manufacturing.
Consistently the Victorian Government in Melbourne, & NSW Government in Sydney import trains & trams rolling stock.
According to The Age, $3.6 Billion dollars of import orders in the last 18 months.
For citizens.
The imported trains & trams often have problem working in different climates, on different rails, and with different power requirments.
Furthermore, the seats in imported trams provide less effective seating, being often too small for the Australian market.
For local manufacturing.
If the Governments do …

COMMENT, Australia — Nascent trends show that the National (or Country) Party are just about to turn a corner.
Recently the National Party were kingmakers in West Australia State elections.
Now it looks like the National Party may win in the New Zealand elections.
Barnaby’s Voice.
An independent thinker, one of the few who stood up to John Howard, Barnaby Joyce has the leadership & charisma to be a national leader. In 8-12 years.
It may be too soon, and it may not eventuate, but this is an interesting thought.
Trends for the National Party.
Food supply …

ANALYSIS, USA — It’s all over!
Obama has won the US Presidency with a probable popular vote of up to 5%.

Political Winds. Economic Trends.
The key significance of Obama, is a little-noticed trend.
Economic local-ism.
Grass-roots.
Ground-up.
In Talbott’s book, Obamanomics, he refers to Obama’s ideas “bottom-up economics”.
Read it: Obamanomics: How Bottom-Up Economic Prosperity Will Replace Trickle-Down Economics
Economics is trend # 1.
Economics has changed.
With the surge of China, Economic Crisis &  under-reported power of Europe, economic intervention is back. Economic regulation is back.
The trends have shifted at the infancy stage, and represent a paradigm shift. Unimaginable …

Voting machines are unreliable across the United States. How can that be in a major democracy?

ANALYSIS, USA — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proven to be a visionary leader of California.
Schwarzenegger, a Republican, married to a Kennedy Democrat, will become the nations most senior Republican, as the party moves back to the centre.
There’s an interesting video of Governor Schwarzenegger’s idea for a “Bipartisan Commission Will Address Chronic Budget Problems”. Read the release here.
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Schwarzenegger Action, Ideas.
Interestingly, Obama winning means Schwarzenegger will be the symbolic leader. Vindicated in opposition to Bush on many policies. Bi-partisan. Moderate. Results-driven. Environmentally-focussed. New ideas.
A lot of power …